Dhapa

Ni hao – Namaste My name is Mara and I am a lecturer of Modern Literatures of the Indian Subcontinent at the University of Rome.

For the Chinese community in Kolkata, elections are as routine as rolling up dumplings every morning. They vote because they have to. Not because they hope something good will come out of it. Ignored by politicians, the dwindling Chinese population is getting desperate to be seen, heard and belong.

Never mind the two centuries of reclusive existence. Crisis requires the Chinese to open up and engage with the outside world or disappear without trace.